How many journalists does it take to cover a country? A Washington Post article a few months ago said that in France there’s one journalist for every 2,000 French citizens; in the U.S. there’s one for every 5,000 people.
That trivia opens up an interesting debate on the role of journalists and how many are needed to fulfill that role.
Reporters sometimes argue whether journalism is a profession. While there are journalism degrees and diplomas which can be earned, anyone can be a journalist. Write one story or snap one picture to sell to a newspaper and voila, you become a freelancer.
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In Canada there is no licensing agency; there is no national code of standards to adhere to; and no disciplinary action can be taken against anyone who sullies the reputation of journalism.
While the country needs doctors, lawyers, teachers and other such professionals, where does a quasi-professional journalist fit in?
The news provides information, entertainment, and even gossip value. Some is critical (“Tornado approaching”), some isn’t (“Elvis spotted again”).
Unfortunately, sometimes the news that deserves the most coverage receives the least. There are meetings and news conferences that fail to attract any reporters.
Agriculture is one area that often gets ignored. You can count on one hand the number of daily papers which have a full-time agriculture reporter. None of them have anyone covering agriculture full-time in Ottawa.
Want to see the largest media gatherings? Check out crime, disaster and political events. More revealing than the ratio of citizens to journalists is the examination of where the journalists are and what they’re covering.
